Sofia, Bulgaria

I just spent the week in Sofia, Bulgaria and this is one of the cities that has been added to my list of places that blew away my expectations. Such a lovely place, and the people have been very kind and patient, especially since I don't speak a word of Bulgarian and don't read Cyrillic writing.

Thank goodness a third of Bulgarians speak English.

Bulgaria has such an interesting past from the Stone Age to the Roman Empire to the present. Before I visited, I was unaware how impressive the Bulgarian Empire of the Middle Ages was.

And, all of this set against the hills so I was able to get in some time outdoors on Vitosha Mountain, also.

To top it all off, it is quite budget friendly!

I am so impressed that I am going to extend my time here and explore the central and eastern part of Bulgaria now.

Special thanks for the suggestions from my remote tour guide, Naila!